Homeowner Fights Off Craigslist Thieves

Two thieves who tried to rob a Littleton, Colo., man that they targeted through a Craigslist advertisement came out on the short end of the situation.

According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the men went to the home feigning interest in the item advertised, overpowered the homeowner and tied him up. One of the suspects then stole the man’s car.

But the homeowner managed to escape his bounds, grabbed a gun and shot the other suspect, who died at the scene. According to authorities, deputies are searching for the second man, who fled in another vehicle.

Massachusetts Town Will Require Essay For Carry Permit

In the category of “Exactly what don’t they understand about the phrase, ‘Shall Not Infringe?’” Lowell, Mass., leaders are set to begin requiring gun permit applicants to write an essay explaining why they want to practice their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

The new policy will require residents seeking a carry license to take a very expensive gun safety course. Additionally, residents seeking an unrestricted gun license will be required to state in writing why they should get the license, and provide additional documentation on why they consider themselves to be qualified—military or law-enforcement service, a previous Right-to-Carry permit or signed letters of recommendation.

While we see plenty of constitutional problems with this requirement, Lowell resident Dan Gannon summed it up quite well. “I will never write an essay to get my rights as an American citizen,” Gannon told the Lowell Sun.

A new proposal by Arizona state House Leader Steve Montenegro would provide a dollar-for-dollar income tax credit for the cost of training to obtain a concealed-carry permit. The proposed measure would offer a tax credit of up to $80 towards the cost of training in the state, which ranges from about $50 to $115, and for permits, which costs $60 for new permits and $43 for renewals.

A CCW permit holder himself, Montenegro said the classes teach more than how to safely handle a firearm—they also familiarize people with laws on the use of deadly force as well as when not to use a gun. “We want to promote people being educated in having CCW permits,” he said. “We value those that are able to take these classes and help us with safety.”

Kansas Fights Back Against Operation Choke Point

The Wichita Eagle reported Monday that Republican State Sen. Jacob Turner has introduced a bill to prevent discrimination against gun dealers who have been targeted by Operation Choke Point, an initiative started in 2013 by the Department of Justice under former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, and implemented by the FDIC.

The Kansas Firearms Industry Nondiscrimination Act would make it illegal to discriminate against those engaged in the lawful commerce in firearms. Operation Choke Point effectively strong-armed banks into severing relationships with legal firearm businesses by reclassifying them as a “reputational risk,” implying they have the same bad public image as porn shops, Ponzi schemes and online gambling.

Numerous firearms businesses with stellar credit histories and no legal entanglements have been dropped by their banks under Operation Choke Point merely “because you sell guns.” Read Dave Kopel’s excellent 2015 feature in America’s 1st Freedomhere.

NICS Denial Appeals Keep Rolling In, But No One Is Processing Them

As gun sales in America continue to rise, the FBI has added about 70 employees to assist with the ever-growing number of background checks. Unfortunately, they were all transferred from the agency’s pool of appeals examiners—leaving no one to process the appeals of those who were erroneously denied their ability to purchase a firearm.

In 2014, out of the 90,895 federal NICS checks resulting in a denial, 4,411 were later appealed and overturned. Worse, according to USA Today, the “temporary” reassignment of appeals examiners has created a backlog of 7,100 denial appeals.

Without appeals examiners, there’s no recourse for those mistakenly turned down. Moreover, If President Obama gets his way with regards to “universal” background checks, all transactions would have to pass an NICS check, resulting in innocent people being stripped of their Second Amendment rights indefinitely—a clear violation of the Constitution’s guarantee that individuals cannot be deprived of liberty without due process.

Virginia Legislators Try To Banish Gun Store

Nova Firearms, in the northern Virginia suburb of McLean, is again under attack—this time from legislators who want to create so-called “gun-store free zones.” House Bill 422 and Senate Bill 138 would give localities the option of “prohibiting anyone from engaging in the business of selling firearms at retail within 1,000 feet of a school.”

The bills are just two of more than 100 firearm-related proposals before the Virginia General Assembly during its 60-day session. To drum up support for the schemes, the bills’ sponsors attended a rally outside Nova Firearms on Jan. 16, and scores of politicians reportedly attended a demonstration upon the store’s September grand opening. Moreover, hundreds of gun-control activists descended upon Richmond for Lobby Day on Jan. 18.

Use Your Power!

Virginia residents, your state senator and house delegate need to hear where you stand on these anti-gun bills. To identify and contact your representatives today,click here.